Ditching-machine.



W. W'. HARTSOUGH.

DITCHING MACHINE..

APPLICAUON HLED APH. 24, 1.915.

192259327@ Patented May 8, 1917.

f A l l WITNESSES: IIVVENTOH ms Nonms persas co.. Fuomuma.. wAsmNumN. ur:v

'PATENT WALTER W. tHARTSOUGH, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESTA.

DITCHING-WACHINE.

Application led April 24, 1915.

, is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in ditching;machines.

The object ofthe invention is to provide a ditching' machine of thecharacter described including' a suitable framework, the rear end ofwhich is mounted upon a single traction wheel, centrally located withrespect to the sides of the frame, so as to travel in the ditch beingdug' and the front end of which is supported by suitable guide wheelsarranged to travel 0n each side 0f the line of the ditch. the front endof the frame be-y ing vertically adjustable relative to said guidewheels so that the depth of the ditch may be easily gagged.

The invention also embodies a suitable driving' mechanism and a knifecarrying' drum in operative connection therewith.

further feature of the invention resides in the provision of a conveyingmechanism, whereby the earth excavated from the ditch may be carriedtherefrom and delivered to either side thereof. as may be desired.

A. still further feature of the invention resides in the provision of aframe worm whose side members are independently adjustable, therebyimpart-inf;r a certain amount of flexibility to the said frame work sothat it may be accommodated to bends or turns in the course of theditch.

With the above and other objects in view, which will be set forth morespecifically hereinafter, the invention has particular relation tocertain novel features of construction, and operation. an example ofwhich is given in this specification and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein- Figure l is a plan view of the device.

Fia'. 2 is a front end view thereof, with the guide wheels removed forthe sake of clearness.

Fie'. 3 is a sectional side elevation thereof.

Figs. and 5 show fragmentary views of the framework, showing; meanswhereby the side members are adjustable.

Fie'. 6 shows a detail view of the mecha- Specification of LettersPatent.

Patent-ed lvlay 8, litl'.

Serial No. 23,588.

nism whereby the knife carrying drum, or the driving mechanism of themachine may be reversed. y

Fig. 7 shows a frontend view of the knife carrying` drum.

Fig. S shows a detail view of the knife guiding mechanism.

Fie. 9 shows a side elevation of one of the guide wheels, showing itsconnection to the frame of the machine,

Fia'. lO shows a side lelevation of a lubricatino; reservoir, from'whicha lubricant is discharged on to the scraping'blades of the conveying`mechanism. y

Fig. il is a fragmentary plan view of the drum showing one of thecutters carried by the operative end thereof.

Referring' now more particularly to the drawings, wherein like numeralsof reference designate similar parts in each of the figures, thenumerals 1, l refer to the side members of the supporting frame work andthe numerals 2, 2 refer to the end members thereof. The side members areeach formed in two Darts. said parts beine,` connected together by meansof the ties 3. Each tie has an oblong slot as et, extending from end toend thereof and set bolts 5, 5 pass tirouejh the slots of each tie andengage with the respective sections of the side members l, 1. Byloosening; these set bolts the sections of the side members may beadjusted toward or from each other. and said set bolts then againtightened, and said sectionsv fixed in the desired position relative toeach other. A -certain amount of flexibility is thusimparted to theframe work. so that it may be made to accommodate itself bends or curvesin the ditch beine excavated. The rear end of the frame work issupported by a large tract-ion wheel 6, which is fined on the axle 7.rotatable in suitable bearings 8, S, carried bythe lenejthwisesupporting' members 9, 9. This traction wheel is centrally locatedrelative to the side members 0f the frame work, so as to travel in theditch being' excavated. This wheel will thus always have a smooth evensurface over which to move. The rear end of the frame work has asuitable motor 10. having); the drive shaft 11, one end of which has abevel gea-r wheel 12 fixed thereon. This bevel lgear wheel meshes withthe corresponding bevel gear wheel 18, fixed on the rear end of theforwardly extending shaft 14. This last mentioned shaft is rotatable insuitable bearings as 15, carried by the frame work and its forward endhas a bevel gear wheel 16 fixed thereon which meshes with thecorresponding bevel gear wheel 17, which is fixed on the adjacent end ofthe counter shaft 18. This last mentioned shaft is rotatable in suitablebearings 19 carried by the side members 1, 1 of the framework.

The inner side of the rim of the traction wheel 6 has a spur gear face2O and meshing therewith is the spur gear wheel 21, which is fixed onthe inner end of a short transverse shaft 22, which is rotatable in asuitable bearing carried by one of the supporting members 9. The outerend of this shaft 22 has a bevel gear wheel 23, fixed thereon, whichmeshes with a corresponding bevel gear wheel 24, which is fixed on therear end of a short shaft 25 extending lengthwise of the framework androtatable in the bearings 26, 26 carried thereby. The front end of thisshaft 25 has the bevel gear wheel 27 fixed thereon, which may bealternatively brought into mesh with the bevel gear wheels 28 and 29, aswill now be explained. lThese gear wheels 28 and 29 are fixed on theopposing ends of a sleeve 30, which is slidable on, but keyed to, theshaft 18 and the facing sides of said gear wheels have bevel gear facesin alinement with the gear face of the wheel 27. The sleeve 30 isactuated by means of a hand lever 31, whose lower end is pivoted to theframe work, but which has an operative connection with said sleeve. Asthe sleeve is manipulated back and forth, the gear wheel 27 isalternatively brought into mesh with the gear wheels 28 and 29 and theentire machine is driven forwardly, or rearwardly accordingly as thegear wheel 27 is in operative connection with the one or the other ofthe gear wheels 28 or 29.

The forward end of the framework carries a drum 32, which is fixed onthe shaft 33, rotatable in suitable bearings carried by the framework.The rear end of this drum has a peripheral spur gear face 34, whichmeshes with the spur gear wheel 35 fixed on the front end of the shaft36. This shaft rotates inthe bearings 37, 37, carried by the crossbraces 38, 38 of the framework and the rear end of the shaft 36 has abevel gear wheel 39 fixed thereon. This bevel gear wheel 39 is alinedbetween bevel gear wheels 40 and 41, which are fixed on opposing ends ofthe sleeve 42, which is slidable on, but keyed to the shaft 18. Thissleeve is manipulated back and forth on the shaft 18 by means of a handlever 43, similar in function and construction to the hand lever 31. Thegear wheels 40 and 41 may thus be alternatively brought into mesh withthe .gear wheel 39 and the drum 32 driven in either directionaccordingly. The shaft 36 has a universal joint 44 provided so as topermit said shaft to accommodate itself to the various adjustments ofthe front and rear part of the framework, as hereinbefore explained.

Fixed to the front end of the framework is a transverse rod, or axle 45.Each end of this axle has a bearing member 46, which is adjustablethereon but which may be fixed in any desired position relative theretoby means of the set bolt 47. Each bearing member 46 has a forwardextension 48, through which extends vertically a tapped hole whichreceives the outwardly threaded shaft 49, whose upperend has the handwheel 50 fixed thereto, and by means of which the shaft may be turned.The lower end of each shaft 49 has a guidewheel 51 carried thereby. rTheconnection between the shaft 49 and the guide wheel 51 is that of theordinary caster, so that said shaft may be rotated without rotating saidwheel. The bearing members 46 are made adjustable on the axle 45 so thatthe guide wheels 51 may be adjusted relative to each other, so as toaccommodate them to wide or narrow ditches and the shafts 49 havethreaded connections with the extensions 48 so that the front end of theframe work maybe elevated and lowered and the depth of the ditch thusregulated.

rThe drum 32 is partially surrounded underneath by means of a scoop 52,preferably formed of sheet metal and which is fixed to and suspendedfrom the front end of the framework. |The form of this scoop, in crosssection, conforms in shape to the desired contour of the ditch to beexcavated and as the machine moves forward, it gathers up the loose dirtdelivered from the cutting knives carried on the front end of the drumand from this scoop the said dirt is discharged by the conveyingmechanism, hereinafter to be described. rThe rear end of the scoop isinclosed by means of the 'transverse wall 53, preferably formed of sheetmetal or some other like material and the front edge of the scoop issharp so as to readily cut through andl scoop up the earth. Divergingeach way from the scoop upwardly are two conveying chutes 54, 54,channel like in cross section, up which the earth is conveyed, and fromwhich it is discharged on either side of the ditch, as may be desired.

rThe drum 32 is provided with two circumferential rows of sprocketteeth, indinel 59 extending transvcrselyL of the machine and alinedabove the chutes 5st, rEhe sprocket chains 56, 56 carry a plurality o-fScrapers 60, whose free edges pass along the lchutes -t and gather upthe earth collected in the scoop. 52 and force it up the chutes 5l, Siland discharge it frointhe upper ends thereof.

A lubricating oil tank 6l is provided, which is arranged over thechannel and fixed in position relative thereto by means of the legsDepending from the bottom of this tank is a brush 63 onto which the oilfilters from thetank in the manner of the ordinary wi lt is obviousthatl as the Scrapers 60 pass. along the channel 59, their free edgeswill project upwardly and the brush 623 projects down far enough. tocome in contact with said scrapers as they pass along and the sides ofthe scrapers next to come in contact with the earth to be dischargedwill be oiled and the earth will thus he prevented from adhering to saidscrapers.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 7, the front end of the drum is provided withfour radiating cutters, each indicated by the numeral 64, but a greateror less number of cutters may be employed, as may be found mostpractical. lEach cutter is formed of a flat blade, each edge of which isa cutting edge and the inner end of each cutter is pivoted to theforward end of the drum eccentrically, as at the points 65, and theouter end of each cutter is turned backwardly at right angles to theblade thereof, said back turned portions extending laterally each wayfrom the body of the blade, and being arcuate in shape and the ends ofthese lateral extensions are also provided with sharp cutting edges, as66, 66. rllhese cutters are arranged just in front of the front end ofthe scoop 52 and cut away the earth and the same falls down into thebottom of the scoop 52 as hereinbefore explained.

Each blade 64 has a limited amount of movement, but this movement isrestricted by means of straps 67, whose ends are bolted or otherwisesecured to the front end of the drum 32. A narrow space is left betweeneach strap and the front end of the drum 32 and in these spaces theblades 64e play, as indicated in Fig. 8. `When the drum is travel ing inthe direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 8, the cutters 64 willassume the position, as indicated in dotted lines in said ure and theslot provided between each strap 67 and the drum is slightly arcuate andthe ends of said slot taper slightly, so that the blade wedges thereinand the forward or cutting edge thereof is inclined forwardly, or towardthe earth to be excavated and thus readily takes hold of the earth to becut away. When the rotation of the drum is reversed, it is obvious thatthe cutter will automatically assume a position in the end of the slotopposite that in which it is indicated in dotted lines in Fig. S and theother edge thereof will then assume an outward inclination, as saidother edge will then be brought into service. rThe inner ends of theblades are pivoted to the drum by universal joints of any well knowntype so as to permit this lateral oscillation of the blades 64. Bymeasonof the fact that the inner ends of the blades 6a are pivotedeccentrically to the front end of the drum 32, when one of the cuttingedges 66 is brought into service, the other of said edges, carried bythe same blade, will describe smaller circle than said operating edgeand there will consequently be a clearance between the back turnedportion of each blade and the surface being cut away, thus minimizingthe friction between the blades and said surface.

lt is obvious that the ditch excavated by these cutters will besemi-cylindrical in form' and in order to give the sides of said ditchsmooth diverging surfaces and a contour, like that indicated in Fig. 2,I have provided a forward extension 68, 68 projecting from the frontside of each of the chutes 54, 54. rllhese extensions are integral withand form continuations of the front end of the scoop 52, and their frontedges are sharp cutting edges, which pass along and cut away anyprojections extending from the sides of the ditch and leave said sideswith a smooth finished surface.

Vhat l claim is l. ln a device of the character described, a rotatabledrum, a plurality of knives radiating relative to each other and whoseinner ends are pivoted to the forward end of said drum, each edge ofeach knife being a cutting edge, a strap for each knife, each end ofeach strap being secured to the drum and each strap being spaced fromthe drum, providing a slot in which each knife oscillates, each slotbeing arcuate in contour, so as to cause a lateral oscillation of theknife as it moves back and forth in said slot.

2. ln a device of the character described, a rotatable drum, a knifewhose inner end is pivoted to one end of said drum and whose outer endextends beyond the periphery of said drum, each edge of said knife beinga cutting edge, a means for securing the knife against the end of thedrum, said means providing a slot through which the knife projects andin which it has a limited lateral movement, said slot being so shaped asto hold the operative edge of the knife at an outwardly diverging anglerelative to the end of the drum.

3. A device of the character described including a supporting frame, adrum rotatably mounted at one end thereof, a chute arranged on each sideof the drum and carried by the frame, said chutes diverging upwardlyfrom the drum, an endless conveyer driven by the drum and travelingalong said chutes, Scrapers carried by said conveyer, Whose free engestravel along the bottom of said chutes and convey material along thechutes and discharge it from the upper end thereof, means for drivingsaid drum, a reversing mechanism whereby said driving means may becaused to operate in either direction, cutting blades carried by theforivard end of the drum, by means of which the material to be excavatedis delivered into the path of said conveyer.

4C. ln a device of the character described, a rotatable drum, aplurality of knives radiating relative to each other and Whose innerends are pivoted to the forward end of said drum, the free end of eachknife being widened, each edge of each knife being formed into a cuttingedge and means permitting a limited lateral operation of each knife.

5. In a device of the character described, a rotatable drum, a pluralityof knives radiating relative to each other and Whose inner ends arepivoted to the end of said drum, the free end ofeach knife being turnedat right angles to the body thereof, each edge of said knife beingformed into a cutting edge and the bearing in Which each knife operates,perinitting a limited lateral movement thereof.

ln testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of tivo subscribing Witnesses.

WALTER W. iiaiifrsoiieii.

Witnesses:

JOS. M. REED, N. D. BnssEM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ive cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of latents. Washington, B. C.

